Help Identifying Wood

[tomoliver4]

My brother is saving me a section of a tree he had cut down. Any help in identifying this wood would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

 

[dkulze]

looks like it might be cherry. Can you get a bark shot and a closeup of grain?

Dietrich

 

[MichaelMouse]

Apple? Cherry is a fire tree, growing rapidly in open areas, and this one grew slowly and with an asymmetrical load. Could be a branch. However, slow growing, thin bark, darker at the heart, and narrow sapwood say apple to me. Is it waxed?

 

[Jeff Jilg]

Without pictures of bark, branches, and especially leaves it will be a guess. Leaves and/or flowers are very useful during identification.

 

[tomoliver4]

It's not waxed. Here is another picture of the stump. The tree is in Central Louisiana if that helps. It's about 250 miles away from me so I can't see it in person. It was cut down about a week ago.

 

[tomoliver4]

I spoke with my brother and he said it was not waxed and was cut down about 6 weeks ago. When I mention Cherry he said he thinks that's what the tree guy said it was.

 

[Matt Meadows]

The off-center pith and odd shape tells me it may have a lot of reaction wood, which may make drying it a weeping/wailing/gnashing of teeth sorta thing. I don't really know for sure, is that what it looks like to the old salts here?

 

[tomoliver4]

The reason the stump is still there is because it has a fence in it. Apparently the tree grew up into the wire fence. Hard to see in the picture. The tree was also crowded out by 2 pecan trees and was growing at an angle. My brother has been in his house for 20 years and the tree was already there when he moved in. He counted about 60 growth rings.

 

[Jim Ketron]

My vote is Cherry

 

[TurnedAround]

I agree that it's cherry based on the looks and also the fence issue. Cherry grows profusely in fence rows due to birds sitting on the fence and excreting the pits before they fly off.

 

[dkulze]

Bark says it isn't apple. Cherry darkens like that in the sun and the bark matches. The only other tree that might look similar would be red/swamp oak. Take a knife or file and rough the wood a bit. If it smells intensely like pee or vomit, it's oak. If it smells sour and kinda fruity, it's cherry.

By the way, for either one, mill out the pith and get it waxed quickly or you'll lose most of it to checking.

Dietrich

 

[tomoliver4]

Thanks for the repsonses. I think we've determined it's Cherry. I just hope I can get to it before it's too late.

Tom

 

[dkulze]

If you want a really cool piece, get the chunk that grew through the fence and cut out the metal. Be real careful cause it's lots of fun if you miss any and try to turn it.

Dietrich

 

[tomoliver4]

Good idea, I will give that a try.